Barbados Tridents have been one of the most competitive sides in the Caribbean Premier League. They are two time CPL champions who won their maiden title in the 2014 edition, were runners up in the 2015 edition and got their hands onto the trophy second time around in the 2019 edition.
Rated by the cricketing pundits as one of the most balanced sides in CPL, the Jason Holder-led lineup will be hoping to continue where they left last season.
Last season, Barbados Tridents finished the league stage at the second spot with five wins in ten matches. They faltered against the Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Qualifier-1 but managed to get the better of them in the final showdown at Tarouba.
The Jason Holder-led side has once again made some interesting picks in the CPL drafts which in turn can help them reign supreme in the coming season.
Ace Afghani cricketer Rashid Khan has been signed by the defending champions. For someone who is rated as the best spinner in the T20s at present, imagine the level of destruction he can command with his prowess in the coming matches. All-rounder Marcus Stoinis has been roped in as well.
The Aussie cricketer would be competing in his maiden season of CPL. Then comes wicket-keeper batsman Johnson Charles who can be a force to reckon with if not dismissed early on in the contest.
English batsman Alex Hales is one the big names from the list of players who have been drafted this season. Afgan cricketer Rahmanullah Gurbaz has a decent T20 experience and will look to garner more this season.
On that note, let’s have a look at the four possible reasons why Barbados Tridents can win the forthcoming edition of Caribbean Premier League.
Here are 4 reasons why Barbados Tridents will win CPL 2020
Depth in the batting order
Alex Hales had a forgettable run with the bat last season in CPL. However, he found his form in the Big Bash League wherein he averaged over 38 and struck 6 fifties. If he gets going in the powerplay then one can be rest assured of a high scoring total from the Tridents’ end.
Johnson Charles is among the big names in Caribbean Premier League. With over 1800 runs in 68 CPL appearaces, the southpaaw topped the batting charts for Tridents in the previous edition with 415 runs and 3 fifties.
To strenghthen the top-order, there’s Marcus Stoinis who has been one of the most bankable players in the last two seasons of BBL, and will be vying to exhibit a simlar show in the Caribbean T20 tournament.
Stoinis was among the highest run-getters in the Australian T20 League with 494 and 705 runs in the 2018 and 2019 editions. One thing worth noting down about Stoinis is the ease with which he whacks the deliveries off the park. He doesn’t play any rash shot at the start but he can go bonkers once he finds the rhythm.
Shai Hope has had luke worm performances in the matches played in CPL, still, he can be very useful in case the top-order is dismissed at the early stages. A decent strike rate of 127.18 in CPL, Hope can mould his style of play by being an anchor or the striker as per the situation’s behest.
In the middle order, Jonathan Carter can fuel the scoring ability with his blistering exhibitions. The southpaw smashed 26-ball 49 against Guyana Amazon Warriors in the Qualifiers-1, and then an unbeaten 50 off 27 deliveries in the finals of CPL 2019. Coming to this season, one can certainly bank on him to deliver when mattered the most, especially the knockouts.
Holder and Gurney’s bowling varations
Both Jason Holder and Harry Gurney had impressive run with the ball in CPL 2019. The duo scalped 27 wickets in total and while Holder averaged 25.71, Gurney averaged mere 14.69.
Gurney’s forte is his changing pace, while Holder can trouble immensely with the uneven bounce he can generate.
Also, it will be the test of Jason Holder’s captaincy and his all-round prowess. Being the defending champions, there will be high expecations from the Tridents’ skipper as his performance will hold a significant impact over the team.
Hayden Walsh’s match winning ability
The 28-year-old played a key role for the Barbados Tridents throughout the CPL 2019. The leggie was the highest wicket taker in the tournament wherein he picked 22 wickets and averaged just 12.68.
He was adjourned the player of the series for his top-notch contributions throughout the season. In limited matches that he has played in CPL and in T20 cricket, Walsh has impressed many and surfaced as a reliable player in times of distress. He was the X factor for the Tridents last time around, and will surely be a game-changer this time as well.
Rashid Khan’s spin wizardry
In the last couple of years, the manner in which Rashid has tormented the batsmen in T20 Leagues across the globe, it shouldn’t come as a surprise for the fans if he manages to render the batsmen useless in the coming season.
In overall, the Afghan leggie has scalped 296 wickets in 211 T20 appearances at an astonishing average and economy of 17.22 and 6.30 respectively. Regardless of the video footage available from his plays in the T20 tournaments, Rashid remains unplayable on most occasions.
It doesn’t take much time for the spin maestro to lure even a well-set batsman into giving up his wicket. His deceptive leg-breaks and quick googlies can easily turn the rivals’ fortunes upside down, making him a player who can help the Tridents dominate on crunch occasions.
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